War
by Stratusfied247
Summary: Sonny has done a lot of things wrong, but Jason has always stood by him. He's always trusted him to do the right thing. Now, however, it's obvious that Sonny can't handle it, he's putting everyone in danger, and Jason has to do something about it.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes: As my regular readers can probably tell, when GH does a storyline and then, in my opinion, lets it drop, I decide to do my take on how that should go. That's what this is here. This is the start to my idea of how the mob war SHOULD go down between Sonny and Jason. The only necessary casting note is that, like always, the Carly I'm writing is played by Tamara Braun. Appearing later in the story may be Emily, and that would be Amber Tamblyn. If I use AJ, then it will be Sean Kanan's AJ. _

_Please be aware that the timeline has changed. This story puts the war as happening right after the kidnapping. Jason still found Bernie, he just found him earlier. And AJ had nothing to do with the kidnapping. If any more notes are needed, I'll add them as future chapters are added.

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Carly saw it coming, and Michael's return didn't change that. Though Jason and Sam had found and recovered all three children safe and sound, Carly Corinthos knew that the end was near, and she knew that she would have to choose sides.

How could she ever take a side other than Jason's? In everything, she had listened to him. She had taken his advice. When she needed him, he was right there. Could she say the same for Sonny? Not hardly. Usually, when she needed Sonny, he needed something else. He needed someone else. He was a man easily betrayed, but according to his rules, incapable of betraying others.

Hadn't she been betrayed? Not in the same ways as Jason, but hadn't she been betrayed all the same? Sonny cheated on her. He'd never beaten her, but that time he grabbed her by the throat had been pretty damn close. He'd given her ultimatums and basically tried to run her life for the past two years. Didn't any of that count as betrayal?

And then there was the ultimate betrayal of them all. Her sons had been kidnapped because of him. Sure, Faith Roscoe had vendettas with half the town, but Sonny was the one that put the whole thing into motion. If he hadn't ordered the death of Faith's husband, she'd have never come to their town. She would have never kidnapped her children.

That was the ultimate in betrayal, and while Sonny found it necessary to shed himself of any blame, in the end, it was all his fault. He was the reason that her children had been in the hands of a madwoman. He was the reason that she'd been forced to cry herself to sleep, when she was able to sleep at all. He was the reason that she felt the worst fear a mother could have… that her children were dead.

Sonny had betrayed them all, and as she watched events unfold, Carly knew that something horrible was coming. She knew that the end of the rule of Corinthos was coming, and she knew she had to pick a side. And, unfortunately for Sonny, she knew exactly which side that would be.

◊ ◊ ◊

It finally hit her. The Stockholm Syndrome had finally worn off and she could see it. Sonny Corinthos was not a nice person.

How could it have taken her this long to figure it out? Sonny had been manipulating her since the day they met. He took her hostage and managed to convince her that he was the victim. He knew that she was fragile, and even seeing that she had fell under his spell, he used her for sex. She couldn't be his girlfriend, but she could be his mistress. When she became pregnant, he told her what was going to happen, forced all of his wants on her. And when she found love for her baby, he tried to take her away. Even before she was born, he tried to steal her away.

And after that? Where was he with real pity when that baby died? While Jason held her hand, held her sobbing body, tried to help in the pain they both shared over this baby, Sonny just wanted pity for himself. Sam had lost nothing, but he had lost a child. The baby was gone, and the hell with her feelings on the matter. The hell with her own pain.

Sam meant nothing to him, and she finally realized that. Why was she trying to be a friend to a man that didn't give a damn about her? A man that could actually look her in the eye and accuse her of kidnapping. He let her be manhandled, arrested, and had even put a gun on them when Jason tried to free her. He was a selfish man, and only his own feelings ever mattered. He deserved everything that he was going to get.

She thought, when she first realized what was happening, that she would have the urge to stop Jason. To remind him that he loved Sonny like a brother. That it would hurt him to do this, but instead, she could only give him the space needed to do what had to be done. Jason was only hurt more the longer this charade went on. The longer he stood there, watching everything he'd worked for go to hell. Watching the people he loved be hurt over and over again. How he'd managed this long was beyond her.

He must have been a victim, himself. Sonny was a very manipulative man. He could bend people to his well with ease. Coming from where Jason was in life, it would have been so easy for him to convince him that everything he said was right and good.

But, it wasn't, and Jason was finally seeing that. His eyes were opening, and Sam knew that there would be hell to pay. She knew that something bad was about to happen in Port Charles, and she was just glad that her eyes had finally been opened. She was glad that Stockholm had finally let her go, and she didn't have to make a choice.

◊ ◊ ◊

He was done. Finally, after ten years, he couldn't take anymore. He couldn't give anything else to him. He couldn't watch him destroy anyone else. He couldn't let this reign of tyrannical garbage keep going on.

Jason had lost a lot to Sonny. As much as he loved Sam and treasured his friendship with Carly, he could never forget that Sonny had taken Carly away from him. Jason didn't know what would have happened had Sonny not slept with her. He didn't know if he and Carly would have married, or if they'd have ended up exactly as they were. All he knew was that they didn't get the chance because of Sonny. And while he loved Sam with all of his heart, that loss was still prevalent when anger rose against Sonny.

When Jason told him that he would be the father to Sam's baby, Sonny had of course protested. Not because he loved that child, but because she belonged to him. Sonny had to own everything and everyone. If there was any connection to him, then it was his, plain and simple. No matter the consequences, he had to have everything. And yet, he managed to destroy that, too.

Jason gave Michael to Sonny, asked him to keep him safe, and had he been able to do that? Of course not. This was something that should have been done when that bomb was found in the penthouse. Jason should have known if that wasn't enough to make him leave the business behind, then nothing would. But, still, he had hopes after the kidnapping.

Jason had realized that he was too dangerous for Michael. That's why he backed away and relinquished his parental rights. He never wanted Michael hurt because of his business, and it had been all too possible.

He knew he was being hypocritical. He and Sam had no children, but one day they would. She wanted to be a mother too badly, and deep down, Jason wanted a child of his own. Would he give up his life when Sam became pregnant? Possibly. He didn't have the capability to imagine, to picture what he would do in a situation, but he hoped that he would do what was best. All he knew was that when he'd had the choice, he'd given up Michael for the boy's safety. Back then, however, Michael wasn't his. Michael was his nephew, but he wasn't his child. He loved him all the same, but it was easier to give him up. With his own child? The situation could be entirely different, but again, he wasn't mentally capable of imagining that.

But, Sonny had the opportunity. He wasn't the only one that had built up the organization in Port Charles. These days, Jason did the majority of the work, anyway, and had done so for the past few years. He was the main contact for most of the business deals. Sonny let people come and go, and in the end, it wasn't just family that suffered. It was the business, too, and Jason had worked too damn hard to watch Sonny squander it away on island trips and stealing children from their mother.

Sonny had done too much damage, and it was time for him to step down. It was time for some stability. And since he knew that Sonny would never just hand it over, Jason had to do what was necessary to ensure the safety of Sam, Carly, and most importantly, the boys. Jason had to do what was necessary to ensure the prosperity of the Port Charles territory. He had to do what was necessary to make sure that the other families didn't take matters into their own hands and decide that they would pick the new boss.

Jason Morgan had to become the new boss.


	2. Chapter 2

Jason Morgan walked into the home of Sonny Corinthos at precisely 8:26pm. With an army at his back, he took everything in the house that dealt with business. Records, invoices, tax documents. He had an accountant moving every thing that was found to be a business asset from Sonny's bank account to his own. He took it all. Anything and everything that he would need to be the boss. The only thing that he didn't take was Max.

"I can't believe you're doing this to Mr. C. After everything…"

"It has to be done, Max." Jason ran a hand over his short cropped blonde hair, then down his face. He sighed and said, "I could tell you that Sonny doesn't have any money to pay you, anymore. I could also tell you that Sonny's gonna be hard to deal with when he finds out, and you'd be better off coming with me."

"But…"

"But, instead, I'm giving you this." Jason handed him a thick, manilla envelope. "Let Sonny think you're working for him for less money. That you're doing this all out of loyalty to him."

"But, really, I'm doing it because you're paying me." Max groaned. He didn't like this, but he had to get paid. And he didn't want to leave Sonny alone. Jason knew that. Jason had gambled on that. As he took the padded envelope from Jason he said, "I still end up on your payroll."

"He's gonna lose it, Max, you know that, and he'll probably be in danger. He needs somebody to have his back. Somebody other than Ric, and I'm paying you to do that."

Jason was also gambling that Ric would take this as the perfect opportunity to step in and replace him. He claimed that he wanted to get along with his brother, that he wanted to help him, and this would be the perfect opportunity. Sonny would need support, and he would need a lawyer. Ric would step in as both.

"Does Mrs. C know what you're doing?"

"If I kow Carly?" Jason sighed. "If I know Carly, she's already picking sides, and I have to hope that she picks mine." He shook his head and sighed again. "I have to know that I can trust you, Max. I'm not doing this just to take over. I'm not doing it because I want to be the boss. But, Sonny has to learn that he needs to stay focused. He has to learn how to treat people with respect. And he's got to learn the consequences of his actions."

"If Mrs. C picks your side, what does that mean for the boys? Are you taking them, too, Jason? The business and the boys?"

"Why do you think I want her to pick my side?" Unlike Sonny, Jason had no problem explaining his actions to those he believed needed to understand them. Sonny spent the last ten years telling people as little as possible, ordering them around with little to no respect. Jason wanted Max to understand so he could keep Sonny safe from himself. So he could stop him from doing something that would go too far. "If he gives them up, I'll give everything back. Sonny acts like he's my boss, but he hasn't been my boss for years. We were partners, and if he does what I want him to do, I'll take my half in money and let him have everything else."

"Am I supposed to tell him that? Are you sending a message?"

"Take it however you want, Max. Tell him whatever you want. I don't care. I'll tell him myself, but we both know that there was no way for this to go over smoothly if he were actually here. As it is, I'm gonna have to hit you."

Max's eyes went wide. "What!"

"Sonny's not gonna by the story of you picking his side if I don't make it look like you fought this thing. I'll knock you out, have you tied up, and when Sonny gets back, you can tell him I made you listen to everything. Go ahead and tell him I had a message for him, and I sent it loud and clear through you."

"I don't like this." Max groaned. "I get what you're saying, but that don't mean I gotta like it. And what about the other families? My job has always been to keep both of you safe. I'm keepin' Mr. C safe from himself, but who's keeping you safe from the other families?"

"Don't worry about it. I have it under control."

Max's eyelids fluttered as he sighed. He hung his head and groaned. "You've already talked to 'em. They're taking your side."

"This is about the boys for me, Max, but it's business for them. Plain and simple."

"So, when Mr. C tells me to call 'em up for a meeting…"

"They won't come. And if they do come, it's not gonna be pretty."

Max groaned again, and Jason felt pity for him. He was caught in the middle of something that was greater than a simple mob war. He was caught in between the personal war that Jason had decided to wage on Sonny. This was a little far out of his job description. He was supposed to protect Sonny from other people, not from himself. But, if things went the way he expected when he met with the heads of the other families, it was entirely possible that Max would be earning his money.

"Mr. Morgan?" Jason turned and gave a nod. Looking at Bernie was eerie. Even more eerie was the fact that he was in the same line of work, in the same business, as his twin brother Benny. Jason lucked out finding him. He didn't have any allegiances to either side. His loyalty was to the person paying him, and right now, that was Jason. "We have everything we need."

"Alright. Tell everybody to clear out. Take everything back to the penthouse."

"And Ms. McCall? If she's there?"

"I'll talk to Sam when I get there. Just move everything into my office, and have everybody get ready."

Bernie nodded and walked away. Jason took in a deep breath and centered himself. He hadn't warned Sam that this was happening, and she would be angry. He was putting her in a lot of danger, but there wasn't any time for him to tell her. And he couldn't take the chance that she would talk him out of it. This had to be done, and if she couldn't handle it… It would hurt, if she couldn't handle it, but it had to be done.

"Alright, Max, here we go." Jason turned back to him and took the envelope from his hands. "I'm putting this over here in this drawer." As he spoke, he did exactly what he said he would do. He put the envelope in a drawer in the foyer. "If Sonny finds it on you, then we've done this part for nothing."

"Just get it over with, huh?"

Jason sighed, turned half to the side, then threw a solid punch. He put all of his weight behind it, and connected at the base of the jaw. Max crumpled to the floor, and Jason waved two guys over. "Tie him up." He shook his hand and flexed his fingers. "Don't hurt him, just tie him up enough so it's obvious he couldn't get loose. Then get out of here. I want all of you gone by the time Sonny shows back up."

Jason turned and walked out of the house, pausing for a minute at the door. Sonny hadn't lived there long, but Greystone held enough memories for a lifetime. All bad memories. This was where it all began. Where Sonny's betrayal of everyone he claimed to care for started. If he'd just listened to him about Sam not being involved, maybe they could have stopped Faith before she took Michael and Morgan. Maybe it could have been taken care of earlier. But he hadn't, and this was where they ended up.

Sighing, Jason pulled out his phone and made a call. He turned and walked out of the house. And on the way down the drive, his call picked up. "Carly, it's Jason. Take the boys to Bobbie to watch, then meet me at the penthouse. And could you please not fight with Sam? I've gotta talk to both of you, I'm only doing it once, and I don't need you fighting on top of it."


	3. Chapter 3

Carly's first clue that the change had happened was Jason's first sentence to her. "I need you to get Alcazar here, as soon as possible."

Sam's first clue that the change had happened was Jason's first sentence to her. "You don't leave here without a guard on you, got it?"

And from that moment on, any fighting between the women was gone. In recent weeks, they'd had very little to argue about, anyway. Carly was grateful to Sam for helping bring Michael home safely. Sam was thankful to Carly for actually learning how to knock before she barged into the penthouse and broke up what could prove to be a very, delectable evening. They were to the point that, while waiting for Jason, they found little things to nag the other about just out of habit. Being civil was uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Being catty just came naturally, even when they had no reason to be catty.

"I'm not going to lie to either of you," Jason said. He leaned forward, his fingers digging into the chair's upholstery. "I love both of you too much to lie, and you're not stupid. You'll figure out what's going on."

"Thanks for giving us the benefit of the doubt, Jas." Carly rolled her eyes. "I've got a pretty good idea what's going on."

"I saw it coming." Sam sighed and shook her head "I mean, I knew something was different when Michael was taken, ya know? You've done it, haven't you?"

"Of course, he's done it. That's all that this could mean. Would he have anything to say to Lorenzo otherwise?"

"Carly, would you back up? I cut you a lot of slack since you just got your kids back, but remember who was accused of it, and who found 'em. Don't patronize me. I don't like it."

"You're gonna use that every chance you get, aren't you? You're just gonna throw it in my face that I owe you."

"Since you put the idea in Sonny's head that I did it? Yeah, Carly, I am."

"Both of you stop!" Listening to them argue was giving Jason a headache. He supposed they did what he asked, though. He asked that they night fight while they waited for him. He said nothing about them fighting when he got there. The two of them together in a room was easier than it had been previously, but sometimes, it could still be a pain in the ass.

"Ya know," Carly said, ignoring Jason's shout as usual, "I think I'm offended that the first thing you had to say to Sam was keeping her safe, and the first thing you said to me was that you need to talk to Lorenzo."

"You know why, Carly." She pursed her lips, put her hands on her hips, and snickered. She was going to make him say it. Jason sighed. "Fine. There's no point in telling you to stay put, because you'll just argue. You'll ditch the guards, and you'll act like it's fine. Sam will at least let the guards follow her around."

"So I'm easy?" Sam stepped up next to Carly, and Jason was afraid for a moment at how similar their looks were. Right about then, he was praying for them to start fighting. He was almost positive that the two of them on the same page was worse than fighting. "I just do what you say all the time?"

"Don't the two of you think I have enough going on right now? Do you really need to do this to me?"

"Jas, we're just doing what you wanted." Carly folded her arms and grinned. "We're getting along. We're agreeing. Won't this be easier on you if we get along?"

"We could try for you, Jason." Her arms fell and though her expression was still mirror image to Carly's, he was glad she didn't take up her stance, too. "You know how much we love you."

Jason scowled and Carly sighed. "I understand why you're doing this, Jas. More than anybody, probably, I understand. You gave Michael up. You said that you were too dangerous, and you put Michael before what you wanted. Sonny… He doesn't do that. We all belong to him, and it doesn't matter if he can't keep us safe."

"He's taken everything from you, Jason, time and time again," Sam told him, "but what has he given you? In his 'I am great' mode, he'd probably say he gave me to you, but you're not some kind of consolation prize, and neither am I. Sonny… He doesn't understand. Even now, that the kids are back, he still doesn't get it."

"You're doing what you think you have to do to keep us all safe, Jas. We understand that."

"Before you showed up, we had pretty much assumed that this was what happened. Carly knew something was going on and I… I live with you, Jason. It's pretty hard to hide everything from someone you live with. I ignore a lot, but I'm not stupid."

"Even I have to agree with that one." Carly rolled her eyes. Sam elbowed her in the side. "Ow! See why I don't like her? She's… her!" She rolled her eyes, then sighed. "I trust you, Jas. If you know what you're doing, then you know what you're doing. I just didn't expect you to say that you needed to talk to Lorenzo."

Jason hadn't expected it, either. It wasn't even his idea. That had been Bernie. Jason needed a powerful ally. For the time being, the families all agreed with him, that Sonny needed to be taken care of. Most of them even said that a change in authority was needed years ago. But at some point, someone could change their mind…

Jason sighed. "When Sonny finds out what I did, he's gonna come after me. I know how this works, and we're going to end up with a full scale war on our hands, especially if he gets Ric on his side."

"Ric." Sam narrowed her eyes. "He came here hating Sonny and now…"

Carly sighed. "Now, he acts like he loves him, like they bonded over missing children, and he'll be quick to step into Jason's place."

"Exactly." Jason was surprised at just how much of this situation the two really understood. What had they been talking about before he showed up? Obviously more than he gave them credit for. He'd expected to find them in different rooms to avoid fighting, but instead found them both sitting on the sofa with hard looks.

Jason shook his head and let out a heavy breath. "Sonny might just decide to put his differencees with Alcazar aside and make some kind of deal if he thinks it can get him his territory back."

"You think he'd actually do that?" Sam asked.

"I'm doing it, and everything I know, I learned from Sonny. He'd do it." He nodded definitely and started to go on, but stopped as Carly opened her mouth.

"Lorenzo is international, Jas. He said it to me himself. What does he care about this little terrirtory? He doesn't want it himself."

"Don't tell me you're suddenly blind, Carly. Since when have you ever wanted to be blissfully ignorant." He shook his head. "This is an important port to Alcazar. Underneath everything else his brother wanted because of Brenda, he wanted this port. Alcazar came to town for revenge, yeah, but he also wants this port. I just… I don't know if I can actually use it for what he wants."

Everyone was quiet then, and Carly turned away. She hid from what Lorenzo did, though she had embraced Sonny's job. She ignored half the things that Jason did in his capacity as Sonny's right hand. When she only had to deal with the benefits and the control, she was fine. When it came to actually doing things, though, she wasn't so easily taken by the idea. Sonny told people what to do. Jason actually did things. And while Lorenzo also told people what to do, he did occasinally do things, too.

"You want Lorenzo on your side, without giving him exactly what he wants." Carly turned back to Jason and sighed. "You want to make sure that he's not siding with Sonny."

"Yeah."

"And, I guess you can tell by what I"ve said that I'm not taking Sonny's side either."

"Yeah."

"So, it's going to come down to me. Lorenzo goes with whatever side I choose, right? The guy who shot me in the head and was the cause for my children to be taken, or the one person who's always believed in me."

"The choice is simple, Carly." Sam looked at her and shrugged, then turned to Jason. "You know what she's gonna do. You knew it when you called her, and you had to have known what I was going to do. We're here for you, Jason, and if me keeping a guard makes it easier on you, then I'll do that. I don't know that I believe Sonny would actually hurt me to get to you, but I'll do it if it makes you feel better. If it makes things easier."

This whole thing was too easy. They should have been arguing with him, trying to talk him out of it. Part of Jason had been expecting that when he came back, just so it would give him an excuse to change his mind. He didn't want to fight with Sonny. He didn't want to have to kill him, if it came to that. But, Michael and Morgan and Kristina were more important. One of them had to put those kids first, and since their father wasn't going to do it, that job fell to Jason.

"Alright," Carly said, turning slowly. She let her arms fall to her sides, then let out a heavy breath. "You've got Lorenzo, because you've got me. And you've always had me."


End file.
